Fragile Truths

Alex’s POV

Marcus stayed on his knees beside the bed for a long moment after I finished explaining everything I knew about the pregnancy. His hand remained gently pressed against my stomach, warm and protective. The intensity in his eyes had not faded. If anything, it had deepened into something almost overwhelming.

He finally stood up, but he did not step away. Instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. I recognized it immediately.

“Dr. Sophia,” he said when she answered, his voice deceptively calm. “I need you to come to the suite right away. There is something important we need to discuss.”

I sat up straighter, alarm spiking through me. “Marcus, wait—”

He held up a hand, eyes locked on mine as he continued speaking into the phone. “Yes. Now. And while you are on your way, I would like you to think very carefully about why I had to learn about Alex’s pregnancy from him instead of from you. You are his doctor but you work under my roof. I expect full transparency when it comes to his health. Especially something this significant.”

I could hear Dr. Sophia’s voice on the other end, sounding nervous but professional. Marcus listened, his expression cold.

“I understand you were respecting patient confidentiality,” he said smoothly. “But in this house, your first loyalty is to me when it concerns Alex’s safety. Do not forget that again.”

“Marcus, stop!” I interrupted, reaching out to grab his arm. “It was not her fault. I begged her not to tell you. I asked her to keep it quiet until I was ready. She was only respecting my wishes. Please do not threaten her, she has been nothing but kind to me through all of this.”

Marcus paused, looking down at me. His jaw was still tight, but some of the ice in his voice thawed slightly. “You heard him, Doctor. Alex is defending you. Consider yourself lucky. We will discuss this in person when you arrive.”

He ended the call and put the phone away. I let out a shaky breath.

“You did not have to do that,” I said. “She was only trying to help me.”

Marcus sat on the edge of the bed again, his hand returning to my stomach almost instinctively. “No one keeps something like this from me. Not even you. But I will not punish her if you asked for her silence. This time.”

A short while later, Dr. Sophia arrived. She looked composed but clearly uneasy. Marcus stood and faced her.

“Explain,” he said simply.

Dr. Sophia glanced at me for support before speaking. “Mr. Blackthorn, Alex specifically requested that I keep the pregnancy confidential until he was ready to tell you himself. Given the extreme circumstances; the recent differentiation, the heat, and the emotional trauma; I respected his wishes as his physician. I monitored him closely and ensured the pregnancy was stable. I never intended to withhold information permanently.”

I nodded quickly. “It is true. I begged her. After everything that had already happened to me, I needed time to process it. Please do not blame her.”

Marcus stared at her for several tense seconds before he exhaled. “Very well. Your priority moving forward is the health of both Alex and the child. Report everything to me directly. No more secrets. Understood?”

“Yes, Mr. Blackthorn,” she said quietly.

Marcus nodded once. “Good. Now check on him again. I have other matters to attend to.”

He leaned down and pressed a firm kiss to my forehead. “I will be back soon. Do not leave this room.”

With that, he left the suite, the door closing firmly behind him. I let out a long breath I had not realized I was holding.

Dr. Sophia gave me a small, grateful smile. “Thank you for defending me. That could have gone much worse.”

“You did not deserve his anger,” I said. “I am the one who asked you to stay quiet.”

She performed a quick check on my vitals and the baby, confirming everything still looked stable. After she left, the door opened again and Elena and Uncle Leonard returned, both looking concerned.

Elena immediately sat on the bed beside me. “What the hell was that? Marcus looked ready to murder someone when he came out.”

I rubbed my face tiredly. “I told him about the pregnancy. He is… processing.”

Uncle Leonard pulled up a chair. “Well, that explains the tension. How are you feeling, my boy? Really?”

Elena leaned in closer, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Okay, I have to ask. How is this even possible? You are — or were — an Alpha. A man. And now you are pregnant? After one night? That seems… insanely fast.”

Leonard chuckled softly, though his eyes were kind. “It is more common than you think in our world, Elena. Omegas have always been capable of carrying children. When a second differentiation happens, the body fully transitions. The reproductive system becomes completely functional. And with a ninety-eight percent compatibility match like Alex has with Marcus? It was almost guaranteed to happen quickly. Nature works fast when the match is that strong.”

Elena blinked several times, still looking stunned. “So… the baby is just… in there? Growing? Where is it even going to come out from? Do you have to… you know… push it out the normal way? Or is there some special Omega procedure? Because that sounds incredibly awkward and painful.”

I felt my face heat up. “Elena!”

She grinned, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “What? I am just asking practical questions! Is there a special exit hatch or something? Do Omegas get like… a temporary door? Or do you have to deliver it like human women? Because if it is the normal way, I am going to need to stock up on emotional support snacks for you.”

Uncle Leonard burst out laughing. “Elena, my dear, you are terrible. But yes, it usually follows the Omega physiology. The body prepares for it. Though modern medicine has made things much safer.”

I groaned and covered my face with my hands. “Can we please not talk about the delivery right now? I am already overwhelmed.”

Elena laughed but reached over and squeezed my shoulder. “Sorry. I am just trying to wrap my head around it. You are going to be a dad. With Marcus Blackthorn’s kid. This is wild.”

The conversation continued for a while, filled with more questions, gentle teasing from Elena, and steady support from Leonard. Despite the jokes, their presence helped ground me. I felt like I had real allies in this mansion.

After some time, I looked at Leonard. “Leo… I need you to do something for me. Call Nathan. I want to speak to him.”

Leonard’s expression sobered. “Are you sure? After everything he has done?”

“I am sure,” I said firmly. “I need to hear his voice. I need to know where we stand.”

Leonard nodded and pulled out his phone. “Alright. I will set it up.”

He dialed the number and put it on speaker. The phone rang several times before Nathan answered.

“Leo,” Nathan said, his voice cautious. “Is everything alright?”

Leonard handed me the phone. “It is Alex. He wants to talk to you.”

There was a long pause on the other end.

“Alex,” Nathan finally said, his tone carefully neutral. “I heard about the kidnapping. I am glad you are safe.”

I gripped the phone tighter, anger and exhaustion mixing inside me. “We need to talk, brother. About everything.”